Running from the Past
by mercurymoon7490195
Summary: An interview for the rare hunters goes differently than expected. Marik x Rare Hunter.


From the moment the young man had walked into the interview, Marik felt an almost sick sort of curiosity rising through his body. He was different than the others, tall and thin with his head held high as he strode into the room, bowing to the bronze-skinned man before him. His hair was dark and cut short, his brown eyes bright as they eyed his potential master.

"And what," Marik asked, trying not to stare too obviously at the handsome man before him. "What interest do you have in joining my Rare Hunters?"

The young man smirked, brushing his hair out from out of eyes. "Anywhere that involves rare cards is a place for me," he said, confidence ringing from his voice. "The name's Adam. I expect you'd be Marik."

He nodded politely. "What qualifications do you think you hold, Adam?"

"It's not what I think I hold, with all due respect." Adam said, flashing him a grin. "It's what I _know_ I hold. I'm an expert duelist, willing to win by any means necessary."

"Good, but that is something that all of my Rare Hunters possess," Marik said, stroking the millennium rod in his hand. "What's something special you can bring to our team?"

Adam smirked. "I was wondering if that would come up. Which is why I'll mention that I'm able to charm duelists into a matches they would otherwise avoid."

Marik raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he asked, eying the man warily. "And how do you do that?"

Adam's grin widened, a dark, intimidating look crossing his face and making Marik's pulse twitch in nervous excitement. "Are you asking for a demonstration, Mr. Ishtar?" He took a step and grabbed the arms of Marik's chair, staring him down with burning brown eyes. "Because I'd be happy to give you one..." His face hovered over Marik's, drawing him in. "If you'll let me..."

Marik's heart was pounding, fear and longing shooting through him. He had to do something...He jumped to his feet and swung the rod, pointing it at the man and forcing him back. "I think you've shown me quite enough," he said, focusing his energy on the man. "Now tell me, are you willing to obey my every command?"

Adam's eyes slid out of focus, going flat as the rod took its effect. "Yes, Master Marik," he said in a flat monotone.

"I don't require anything of you more than results, success and absolute loyalty to me. Do you think you can do that?"

Another "Yes, Master."

Marik's heart slowed slightly as he stood, looking over the fully brainwashed youth. There was something terrifyingly tantalizing in the way Adam had looked at him before, a lust in his eyes that both scared and intrigued him. He slipped the rod through his belt loop, about to order the man to see one of the other rare hunters for duel testing when he paused, thinking.

"I want you to give an honest answer," he said quietly, not meeting Adam's glassy gaze. "This demonstration…what did you have in mind?"

"I would have talked you into getting a drink with me," the youth replied dully. "And then I would have gone back to where you were staying, and we would have kissed until you begged me to do it."

"It..." Marik licked dry lips, his heart backflipping. "And would…would you have given into my demands?"

"Yes, Master. I would have."

"Why?"

Adam shrugged half-heartedly. "Because you are an attractive man, Master Marik. And I thought that maybe, it would also help this interview be a success."

Marik bit his lip. _What is it about people,_ he thought bitterly, _that they would use whomever was available for their own gain? _He looked up and felt the same twinge of longing swoop up from his stomach. His voice trembled. "Do you still wish to kiss me?"

A nod. Marik hesitated once more, torn. "Then do it," he said finally, stepping forward and lifting Adam's chin with the rod. "Kiss me."

Adam smiled slightly, closing the gap between them and cupping Marik's chin as he leaned in, planting a kiss on Marik's lips. It was like an electric current running through his veins, crying out for more as he pulled away.

"Again." Another kiss, lips melding together once again as Marik pulled him closer, tentatively wrapping his arms around the brunette's shoulders. Hands politely grabbed his sides as his tongue tickled Marik's lips. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth, letting the foreign tongue slip inside. His hand tightened around the back of Adam's neck, his tongue wrapping around the dark haired man's. He smiled slightly as they broke apart for a moment, gazing at each other for a moment before diving back in with gusto. Their movements became more fluid, faster, as Marik's hands explored the other man's body with curiosity. He was built differently than anyone he had come across so far, lean and wiry over the muscled build that usually favored the Ishtars. He slid a hand under his black shirt, gliding up the unmarked skin of his back. So this...he thought marveling at the smoothness of his skin, this is normal. A lump formed in his throat and suddenly he pulled away, grabbing a handful of black hair and looking Adam straight in the eye. "You'll do anything for the job?" he asked, anger rising through his voice.

Adam nodded again. Marik threw him to his knees, staring him down. Adam reached up and put a hand on his belt, fumbling to undo buckle.

Marik sneered down at him in a mix of fury and lust, a shiver running through his body as the youth began to suck. "You'd suffer worse humiliation than this," Marik hissed, hands tugging hard at the dark hair as Adam pressed him to the wall. "You'd suffer worse pain than this to insure my plans succeed?" He swallowed hard, a sweet, painful tension rising through him as Adam bobbed his head yes. He tilted his head up towards the ceiling, leaning back as his voice continued, lowering. "You'd sacrifice your identity, your freedom, everything you are to destroy the pharaoh?"

Adam nodded again, licking the underside with an almost frantic fervor. Marik let out a moan, pulling even harder at the hair under his hands. A tension was soaring through his body, making his head swim with a desire for release. There was only one more question he had for his newest recruit, if he could only get it out. "Would you kill for this job? Sell your soul...to the darkness...be willing to die to see...the pharaoh's reign...ended?" As the tension snapped, pleasure rolling through his veins in a wave, Adam pulled back, dragging a hand across his mouth. His eyes were wide and regaining their consciousness, staring up at the man before him.

"You ask too much...Master..." he murmured, panting. "No rare cards are worth...dying over."

At that moment the door slammed open, Odion staring inscrutably at the scene before him.

Marik glanced at him, his rekindled rage at Adam's words mixing with horror. In one quick motion he kicked Adam away, zipping his pants as he pulled the millennium item from his belt. "Clearly you're not ready to become one of us then," he growled, pointing the rod down at him once again. "Get out! Forget you ever came here!"

Dazed again, Adam scrambled from the room, pushing past Odion as Marik turned towards the window, unable to look his brother in the eye.

"Will you be needing anything, Master Marik?" Odion asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

The blond shook his head. "Leave me," he said, his voice little over a whisper. "Don't let anyone near this room."

Odion nodded and wordlessly closed the door, his footsteps retreating as Marik stared out at the city below. He had let himself be used, all for the sake of his own curiosity... He slammed his fist into the wall with a cry of frustration. How could I be so stupid! He wondered, sliding down to his knees. A few dark hairs were still tangled around his fingers, catching his eye as the fluttered in the wind of his own breath. _Stupid..._a voice in his head sneered. _It doesn't work that way. What did you think would happen?_

_I don't know..._

A sigh. _Soon,_ the voice said quietly. _Soon the pharaoh will be destroyed, his power yours. Then you won't need people like him. Soon..._

"Soon," Marik echoed, letting the hairs slip out of his fingers. He curled up against the wall, a tear slipping down his face. The rage and loathing he had felt as he caressed that smooth skin of Adam's back wasn't gone, merely turned upon himself. Had he really sunk this low, falling so far from what he had been taught to believe? He closed his eyes. It was too much to take in for one night. Tomorrow they would check out of the hotel, run from this city and onto the next, the same as they had been doing for months now.

_You should get some sleep..._

_If only I could,_ Marik thought sadly. The moment he would close his eyes and drift off to sleep, he'd see the same succession of images flashing through his head. A knife, poised above him, glimpsed only out of the corner of his eye. His father, his blood splattered against the tomb walls. Fire...blood...a flash of silver...a glimpse of gold...darkness...And now, with his luck, the accusing stare of a young man who knelt at his feet. He stood and slid his cloak over his shoulders, slipping out of the hotel without notice. As his face hit the cool night air, he broke into a run, his destination nowhere in particular. After all, there wasn't anywhere he could go where his memories wouldn't catch up to him. All he could do was keep running.


End file.
